On the covering of the new plants, couldn't you put a stick/short pole on each corner of the bale(s), and just throw some burlap over them? I did not read of a late frost issue, so I am wondering if the fact they are up and off the ground makes a difference.

No, burlap wouldn't work. I use floating row covers specifically designed for specific uses. Very lightweight ones are simply for pest protection, & also provide a bit of heat protection for cool-weather crops as summer begins. I also use some heavier-weight floating row covers at the end of the season for a little bit of frost protection, but unlike burlap, commercial floating row covers let in optimum amounts of sunlight, water, & air.

I hope this isn't off topic, and if it is deemed so I apologize. What I do is akin to this topic, which is why I am sharing. I had "bleachers" built in my backyard. I then was able to put a large variety of potted plants on them that could a) be easily accessed for caretaking and harvesting and b) could easily be changed out depending on the season. At one point I had 17 species of chili peppers, 4 of tomatoes and many other just good veggies.

I have a similar but smaller "bleacher" set up in my covered courtyard, where I grow all my herbs and spices. No cut-worm or mole problems for me! BTW old coffee grounds are great to keep insects away from your plants.

I hope this isn't off topic, and if it is deemed so I apologize. What I do is akin to this topic, which is why I am sharing. I had "bleachers" built in my backyard. I then was able to put a large variety of potted plants on them that could a) be easily accessed for caretaking and harvesting and b) could easily be changed out depending on the season. At one point I had 17 species of chili peppers, 4 of tomatoes and many other just good veggies.

I have a similar but smaller "bleacher" set up in my covered courtyard, where I grow all my herbs and spices. No cut-worm or mole problems for me! BTW old coffee grounds are great to keep insects away from your plants.

I think that's actually a pretty good idea. Plants up and off the ground, minimal space usage, no bending over for those that have issues with that, and gives you the option of bringing them in easily if need be.

I am curious why you'd need bleachers in your backyard though.

__________________
If eating tasty stuff is a sin, I am certainly going south.

I think that's actually a pretty good idea. Plants up and off the ground, minimal space usage, no bending over for those that have issues with that, and gives you the option of bringing them in easily if need be.

I am curious why you'd need bleachers in your backyard though.

Simple answer: I wanted to rear a lot of plants. With bleachers you can put up a lot without have to break your back caring for them. I did not have a lot of open area, so I adapted. If I can ever figure out how to post pictures, I will show some of my work in Australia. It was fun.

Hi Munky - I haven't had a chance to read the thread yet, but the landlord here dropped off some ties the other day but a good friend of ours said don't use them as they have creosote on them and it is very poisonous!

Tara

I looked into making raised beds with RR ties and chemically treated (aka Pressure Treated) and concluded that they are not worth the trouble or risk with vegetable gardens. They both contain some very noxious chemicals which may leach into the soil and be absorbed by the plants and their edible components. I do not wish to take the risk with my family and friends foods.

I found a couple of very modern alternatives.

SmarTimberZ:http://www.SmarTimberZ.com Made of composite recycled plastic these timbers are not readily available everywhere and due to the cost of shipping they are not cheap. They are very easy to build with and have a 50 year warranty. I am now building four 4' x 16' raised beds with drip irrigation in my backyard and I am delighted how easily they go together. They are very durable and I look forward to years of worry free gardening.

Ive had raised beds the past 8 or 9 years. Had to line the bottom with wire mesh to keep the moles out. I used 2 X 8 to frame everything out. Got compost from the town. Its a very neat, organized way to garden. Just make sure that the raised bed is narrow enough for you to be able to reach everything from the outside.

Oh yeah, as u can see, all the vertical beams are used for the vine plants like cucumbers to grow up on.

after seeing your nice setup and reading other replies on treated wood and RR ties...my question to you and anyone else who has an input is....what kind of frame work do you use or would you folks recommend?

I just finished building my raised beds for this year. After a little research, I concluded that the fastest and cheapest way was to screw together pieces of 2x10 fir boards. I contemplated cedar, but its 3x the price. I built 3 large beds in an afternoon and I'll have the soil (3 yards or so) dumped on my driveway for around $150.

I hope this isn't off topic, and if it is deemed so I apologize. What I do is akin to this topic, which is why I am sharing. I had "bleachers" built in my backyard. I then was able to put a large variety of potted plants on them that could a) be easily accessed for caretaking and harvesting and b) could easily be changed out depending on the season. At one point I had 17 species of chili peppers, 4 of tomatoes and many other just good veggies.

I have a similar but smaller "bleacher" set up in my covered courtyard, where I grow all my herbs and spices. No cut-worm or mole problems for me! BTW old coffee grounds are great to keep insects away from your plants.

i know this thread is old, however have never read the part about bleachers. how cool. i want to have an assortment of plants that attract humming birds. sould like this would work really well. if they were built high enough i could see birds from sunroom windows. thanks for idea.

__________________
"life isn't about how to survive the storm but how to dance in the rain"

Ive had raised beds the past 8 or 9 years. Had to line the bottom with wire mesh to keep the moles out. I used 2 X 8 to frame everything out. Got compost from the town. Its a very neat, organized way to garden. Just make sure that the raised bed is narrow enough for you to be able to reach everything from the outside.

Oh yeah, as u can see, all the vertical beams are used for the vine plants like cucumbers to grow up on.